Gauteng government vacancies impede service delivery, health department has 8000 vacancies

Government must quickly fill vacancies in departments to enhance service delivery, the Public Service Commission (PSC) said on Wednesday.

"There may be critical posts that are not filled and critical posts impact negatively on service delivery," the PSC's Gauteng commissioner Michael Seloane said in Boksburg on the East Rand.

"In the 2013/14 financial year, 50 percent of the departments had more than a 20 percent vacancy rate which is far beyond the acceptable minimum of 10 percent or below."

Gauteng government departments with vacancies included health, with 8337 vacant posts, and education with 6959.

He appealed to senior managers to appoint heads of department. There were no heads in any Gauteng government departments, except for economic development, human settlements, and co-operative governance and traditional affairs. However, they were there in an acting capacity.

"The Gauteng province should fill positions of heads of department timeously to ensure stability at the top level of management. When there is instability at the top, it affects performance," he said.

PSC national commissioner Richard Sizani said departments should fill vacancies within four months of advertising them.

"Unfortunately this has not been the case with many departments. Delays in filling of posts have had negative effects in the functioning of departments," he said.